It was a perfectly clear day in Canterlot. Winter was upon the land, but despite how treacherous the frigid temperatures could become, this was one the warmer days. Yes, these were perfect conditions for flying to which a tall white pony took full advantage over as she flew over the vast land of her kingdom. As she continued to climb higher, the buildings and naked forest below flattened and the air began to thicken. She had snuck off when she had the chance too and darted to the edge of the city where she leaped off the cliff and with her wings opened to their full extent; she took to the sky! To her, flying was the only time now at days where she could be free! Free, from all the studying she and her little sister undertook. Free from the lectures she had to endure from her flight teacher. Yes, the sky was a place where she could really give her growing abilities a test run!

For this young mare and her sister weren’t like other ponies in the kingdom. While their world was known for having ponies of three races, which included, Earth Ponies, Pegasus, and Unicorns; this young mare along with her family were Alicorns. A rare mixed race whom at birth, were born with both Pegasus and Unicorn abilities. Along with these unnatural features, the family was of royalty. Yes, She, Celestia, and her little sister, Luna, were to one day become the new Princesses of the day and night! Hears of their parents, King Night Shade and Queen Star Bright. As the future rulers of their kingdom a, the two sisters had their work cut out for them. Not only did they have to protect their world from danger like their parents before them, but they were granted with the task of controlling the sun and moon. A task that has not been fulfilled since the last Princess of Canterlot, who had met her downfall over a thousand years ago. This was indeed a heavy load to carry, so the White Alicorn was thankful for quiet moments like these where she could fly around the vast open sky and not have to worry about her inevitable destiny.

Celestia’s growing horn and new golden royal armor shimmered in the sunlight as she passed over the large yellow orb. Stopping in her tracks she hovered over a waterfall for a couple seconds before she straightened her body and dove. She felt wind brush against her coat as her acceleration increased. Her long pink mane and tail trailed behind her flapping in the wind current. As she broke out of her dive she couldn’t help but yell out in delight. Since she was at the bottom of the waterfall she decided to follow the river that had formed. As she flew inches above the river’s surface she let her hoof hang low and feel the cold stream before she soared off to the sky once more. Landing on a nearby cloud, Celestia gazed out into the horizon of the kingdom. She was just thinking about how she would love to travel outside the kingdom one day when a voice from behind made her turn her head a fraction to see her little sister, Luna flying toward her. No doubt she had been sent by their mother to inform her that there something that had to be done.

Sure enough, as Luna landed behind her big sister and told her that the Queen wanted them to continue bringing balance back to the Everfree Forest along with a reminder. For today was a special day for the Royal Guard.

“Of course today had come at last.” Celestia thought to herself.

Their flight instructor would be moving onto the next step in his position in Guard duties. After the ceremony, he would be the new Captain of their Royal Guard!

“Anyways, We should get started on the Everfree,” said Luna preparing to kick off the cloud.

“Luna wait,” said Celestia thinking fast on what to say next.

“What is it?” asked Luna looking up at her older sister.

“I’ve been thinking,” Celestia began, putting her hoof to her chin.

All the while being sure to choose her words wisely.

“Surely, by now the animals should be close to reinhabiting the forest grounds. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to use the time we have to explore the forest. You know, just this once.”

“You can’t be serious?” question Luna eyeing her sister with suspicion. “We have a job to do. We can’t be doing anything we want when part of the kingdom is in need.”

“Where did all the theatrics come from Luna?” said Celestia taken aback. “We won’t be abandoning our duties at all. We will still be in the forest and we are only going to explore for a bit.”

“None the less, Mother and father want us to check on how things are going.” said Luna, standing tall and proud of taking their new responsibilities seriously.

This new form of Luna wasn’t like the quiet, shy, and innocent Alicorn Celestia had grown to know during their filly years. Luna was becoming more confident of herself and took the role as a Princess of Canterlot to heart. Sure from time to time she would return to her quiet demeanor, but there was a hint of pride and superiority that demanded her to be taken seriously.

“And further more… Sister didn’t you hear me just now?!” asked Luna looking back up at her older sister.

“Huh, What?” said Celestia snapping out of reminiscing about their childhoods.

“I was saying I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to venture onwards once we’re in the forest. But we still need to be back in time for the ceremony.”

“Alright then,” said Celestia with glee. “Now that we got that settled, lets hurry! Wind Chime said she would be waiting for us!”

Absolutely flustered by this unexpected piece of information, Luna took off after Celestia calling out in a mixture of frustration and confusion. Once the two neared the ground they saw not one but three colorful ponies waiting for them. Tick, a light blue Unicorn with his brother older brother Tock, a red Unicorn. Both were sporting equally abnormal colorful tails and mane. Standing between them was the lively yellow Pegasus, Wind Chime. Her long dark hair was tied in a ponytail to prevent it from blowing lazily in the wind too much. Each of them wore scarves that they had wrapped tightly around their necks. They all waved to the approaching sisters as Luna tried to get her sister to listen to her, but her efforts were in vain.

“Sorry for the hold up Wind Chime,” said Celestia as soon as she touched the ground.

“Better late then never I suppose,” said Wind Chime cheerfully.

Just then, Tock went into a bow and said aloud, “What Chime means is, take as much time as you need your highness,”

“Tock,” said Celestia shaking her head. “What did Luna and I already tell you guys? You don’t have to call us those types of things. Besides if anypony...”

“Princess Luna,” chimed in Tick, bypassing Celestia as he approached Luna and took her hoof as if he was going to kiss it. “What will our majesties be wanting us to do today?”

Luna was beside herself as she smiled awkwardly down at the blue unicorn that was clearly enjoying himself. Tick smiled mischievously before backing away, still in a complete bow.

“Alright you two, enough teasing,” said Wind Chime looking embarrassed.

“Dear, Ms. Chime,” said Tock taking her hoof and patting it as he sighed.

“If you wanted us to be as equally affectionate with you, all you had to do was ask.”

“Hey, I said enough already!” Wind Chime yelled turning slightly pink.

“Fine, but don’t act like you didn’t like it.” said Tock with the same evil grin as his brother.

“Excuse me,” said Luna before Wind Chime could respond. “Sorry guys, we would love to hang out with you today, but my sister and I have a job to do.”

“We know,” said Tick “That’s why we’re here.”

“We are going to help you out today,” said Tock

“There’s no need for you to do that,” said Luna trying to make it absolutely clear that this was something they had to do alone.

“Think nothing of it Luna,” said Tock waving her objection off. “We are happy to help out. After all, when are we ever going to have another chance to hang out as a group? I mean… With everything that’s been happening and all.”

This was true. Ever since Celestia and Luna were crowned Princesses, the time for friends suddenly seemed to have taken a back seat. Luna was fully prepared to let her friends come after her duties, but Celestia chose the latter and made it her side mission to find any gaps in what she called ‘The Code of Princesses’ to fit her friends in her new busy schedule. However, the three clans according to their mother and father, were once again at each others throats. Recently a lot of attitude that was once peaceful seemed to take a turn for the worse. Each side wanted their own territory and to the Earth ponies and Pegasi, the Unicorns were getting the bigger slice of the apple. The arguing may have settled down for now, but the tension between the three tribes still remained. In fact, it was amazing that their friends’ parents even let them speak to each other let alone speak with them until the whole situation is solved.

“Come on Luna,” said Celestia not wanting the topic to continue on such unpleasant things. “They are already here and we could use some extra eyes around incase there are animals we happen to miss.”

Luna bit her lip and thought for a moment before saying in a defeated way, “Oh, alright. They can help. But only as they promise to help us out with the animals and nothing more.”

Everyone’s moods lightened a little by Luna’s agreement to allow their friends to accompany them, but right when they were all about to begin the task, Luna stopped them and had eyes only for the two Unicorns in front of her.

“Boys, I want you to understand that we are allowing you two to join us only for having the privilege to aid us in restoring the Everfree Forest back to its original state.”

“And we are delighted to be of service to you your highness!” said Tick beaming at the navy blue Alicorn.

This didn’t stop Luna from eyeing the two with deepening suspicion and added. “I’m glad you think so Tick, and by helping us you two must promise me you won’t cause any trouble.”

“And what makes you think we would ever do anything to upset the peace and quiet?” Tock said looking offended.

Luna, Celestia and even Wind Chime scowled.

“Ok, Ok. Look, Tick, raise your hoof. We swear to honor your conditions to our fullest. Even though we proclaim ourselves innocent during most of our day-to-day activities.”

“Tock,”

“Alright, Princesses… Ms. Chime, we give you our word to behave dignified and down to earth.”

Even though they took their word on it, in their minds they started a timer and wondered how long it would take until they broke their testament. And so, the five quadrupeds began their ‘adventure’. Every now and then the forests inhabitants would show themselves. Celestia and Luna thought it would be best to pick up where they had left off the day before and venture on from there. A pair of squirrels were some of the first to come out of their hiding places. The yellow Pegasus hovered inches from the ground so she could greet them sweetly. The smallest of the furry batch touched her snout curiously before deciding she was one it could trust. It didn’t take to long after that for the rest of the forest life to appear and guide them to their new living courters. One of them was a bear that led them farther than expected. On the way, they looked around at the trees. The fire had done more damage than they originally thought. Everywhere they looked it was like being in an eerie wasteland. Like the chard ground at their feet, the trees were blackened and skeletal. Every now and then they would come across attempted homes that now stood empty and abandoned. The smell of smoke still lingered as if the fire had only just occurred. Dirtied frozen puddles and wet soil let out unnatural wet and grimy noises with each step. It seemed impossible for anything to be living here, but the bear stayed on its course. Pausing every so often to make sure it was still being followed. Finally the bear stopped and sniffed the air before letting out a quiet call when the group was feet away from a near by den.

“She says to wait while she tells her family we are here,” said Wind Chime gliding ahead of her friends and held up her hoof to make sure her friends stop.

“How do you know that?” asked Tock looking from her to the bear that was sticking its head inside the mouth of the den and called out again.

Wind Chime put her hoof over her mouth and thought before answering.

“My mom told me that soon I will be able to do more than just fly and when that time comes I would be able to hear father than anypony else.”

“Your mother said that?” asked Tock, sounding impressed.

“Yeah, weird huh? I think this is what she meant by it. Our family has a weird branch of ponies being able to communicate with animals. But if that’s the case, then why don’t our cutie marks have something to do about it?”

Before anyone could speculate about Wind Chimes new capabilities, they heard the bear call out once more. This time, it was directed to them and walking closely behind her was another grown bear with two cubs. The four stopped when they were close and the mother bear nudged one of her children to the waiting ponies who looked down at the nervous cub. Wind Chime landed softly on the ground and smiled warmly. The little bear tensed up and started to back away.

“It’s ok,” said Wind Chime sweetly as she slowly took one step closer. “I’m not going to hurt you. Do you like it here?”

She carefully reached out her hoof. The cub still tense touched her shoe with its cold nose and sniffed. The rest of its family looked on as Wind Chime took one last step and gently touched the cub’s head and began to rub. The bear’s eyes went droopy before its body began to finally relax and allowed the Pegasus to continue petting him. Soon the rest of the bears came to them and Wind Chime translated to the others what they had to say. From the sound of it, the bears weren’t the only animals to reinhabit these parts of the forest. Large reptiles made their homes in the muck and murky ponds while more nocturnal birds took refuge in the trees where it was easier to build nests given how fragile the bark and debris were.

“Ok, I’ll let them know. Thanks for the warning,” said Wind Chime to the father bear who snorted in response.

“Warn us about what?” asked Celestia curiously.

“He said that it would be best to leave those who live in the ponds alone. They aren’t the type to understand at first. He said that they will bite first and ask questions later.”

From behind the bears called out to them. The two adults were eyeing Celestia and Luna’s tiaras. The two bowed their heads in respect before they and their cubs retreated back into their den.

“I’m glad to see that even this part of the forest is starting to grow again!” said Celstia looking around at dead forest.

“In time everything will grow back sister,” said Luna nodding in agreement. “If things continue the way they are going, the Everfree will return!”

“Yeah, I think the animals think so too,” added Wind Chime. “Hey, didn’t you two say you had somewhere to be soon?”

“What? Oh no!” squealed Luna her wings shooting up and readying too take off at a moments notice. “I almost forgot! We have to get back to Canterlot in time for the Ceremony!”

“Calm down Luna,” said Celestia unfazed by the fact they could run late. “We can still make it. There’s no need to get all panicky on us.”

“She’s right Luna,” said Wind Chime kindly. “If we leave now you two can still make it. Right guys? Um, boys? Tick, Tock?”

“Uh Oh,” said Celestia noting the look her sister was giving her. “Now Luna, think about…”

But it was too late. With one deep breath, Luna cried aloud in her magnified voice.

“THOSE TWO BLUNTHEADS! THEY SHALL FEEL OUR WRATH ONCE WE FIND THEM!”

“Luna, please settle down!” said Celestia.

Her voice may have been clam but her stern look she was giving her little sister made her go silent at once.

“Everything will be alright. Wind Chime and I will go and look fore them, while you head back to Canterlot and cover for me.”

“I… Fine, Right. Canterlot, cover for you until you get back. Sister please try and be back on time.”

“Don’t I always,” said Celestia confidently. “Wind Chime, let’s go!”

All three kicked off the ground. Celestia and Wind Chime flew off deeper into the woods while Luna tore off above the trees and headed back to Canterlot.

“I told you already Tick,” said Tock trotting threw the cold mosh with ease. “The girls are fine back there with the bears. All we have to do is find the ponds and see how the rest of the wildlife is.”

“Yah think so?” asked Tick jumping over another grown out root.

“I know so,” said Tock his horn glowing to provide them with light. “Now come on, we should be getting close.”

The two Unicorns continued on their way until they found exactly what they were looking for. A murky pond was just a few feet away from where they stood. The temperature had not yet frozen the water yet, so Tock approached the mouth of the pond where he looked at the water and frowned.

“Do you see anything?” Tick asked approaching the same spot.

“I can’t see anything. Wait, give me a minute.”

He dunked his head into the water and made his horn glow once again to emit light. Tick looked around to see if he could see any of the birds that were said to live around here as well and saw nothing until he thought he spotted something being held up by just two branches. Tick poked his brother making him immerge from his underwater search.

“I can’t see anything down there,” he said shaking his colorful head clean. “What is it?”

“Look over there. Do you see it? It’s right there.”

“Over… Oh, yeah, I see it. Is that an egg?”

“Maybe, what should we do?”

Tock knew instantly what he had to do. He galloped over to where he saw a couple logs floating and made his horn glow once again. The log rose and floated above the water. He made it drop with a splash in front of him. Placing his hoof gingerly on the log he tested it before putting his full weight on it. Luckily for him, it held and with his horn flowing with magic, he made the log drift to the next one where he walked on and proceeded to the branch. There it was, just a couple feet above the water. An orange egg that had white wavy stripes circling around it. Tock made the log stop and was about to levitate the egg down to him when suddenly, from the pond bank, a worried voice called out to him.

“Tock, what do you think your doing out there?!”

It was Wind Chime. She and Celestia had just landed next to Tick and were watching the pond nervously.

“There’s an egg over her!” Tock called back.

“Well get it and hurry on back! Your not safe out there!”

Puzzled, Tock levitated the egg off its only protection and mad the log drift back to shore. Celestia and Wind Chime continued to watch the water surrounding Tock while tick looked just as confused as his brother. Right when Tock was moments away from the shore, the log came to an immediate halt.

“What’s wrong?” Tick called out.

“I’m stuck on something!” Tock replied looking down to see what the problem was.

“Hold on Tock, I’ll fly over and get you!” said Celestia preparing to take off.

“No, its fine,” said Tock reassuringly. “I see what the problem is give me a second!”

“Tock don’t touch anything!” Wind Chime warned.

It was too late. Tock used his magic to lift up what he thought was another log when the water below began to stir and in the blink of an eye, the log he was once on was hurled aside sending him and the egg splashing into the pond! The three ponies at the shore had a quick glimpse of the tip of a tail disappearing beneath the surface before Celestia spread her wings and flew out to where Tock had landed! She circled around the still water until Tock finally emerged along with the egg hovering inches above him Celestia reach out for Tock when he was once again lifted from the pond. This time he was tossed to a part of the pond that had another shape appearing at the surface. Celestia flew after the airborne Unicorn and caught him just as the object in the pond had opened its mouth to reveal rows of razor sharp teeth. Narrowly avoiding the closing jaw, Celestia soared back to the edge of the pond where the rest galloped off and didn’t stop until they were sure they weren’t being followed by hungry predators. Celestia put Tock down gently and frowned when he didn’t look scared at all. In fact, he looked perfectly normal despite his whole body shaking from the cold and started to joke about the whole ordeal through chattering teeth. Wind Chime wasted no time telling him off.

“What?!” he yelled back. “We’re both fine aren’t we?!”

“That’s what I’m worried about!” Shouted Wind Chime just as loud. “Think about what could have happened if we didn’t arrive in time…”

“But you did and my brother and I are fine!”

“YOU IDIOT!” Wind Chime cried stamping her hoof. “Don’t you two ever think of the consequences?! One of these days nopony will be there for you when another one of your plans go horribly wrong! And what do you think will happen then eh?!”

“Easy Chime!” said Tick suddenly. “We’re all fine, so that’s all there is too it. Look, Tock’s alright and he even saved an egg too. Good job bro!”

“There!” proclaimed Tock. “Somepony who appreciates what could have been a noble sacrifice.”

“Oh, I give up!” said Wind Chime flatly. “Celestia, please talk some since into these two!”

“Tick and Tock,” began Celestia. “You may have been doing a good deed, but if you waited a little while longer before taking off, you would have heard Wind Chime tell Luna and I that the animals that live in the ponds are not to be messed with. You could have been badly hurt back there.”

Tock didn’t say anything. He opened his mouth and closed it before making the egg float to Celestia who took it.

“Now that that’s settled, did this egg have a nest?”

“No your highness,” said Tick in a less active voice. “I saw nothing out there but the egg.”

“Alright, I think I’ll hang onto it for now until we find its family.”

With that said, Celestia and the rest headed out of the Everfree, Wind Chime was muttering angrily about the stubborn attitudes Unicorns have. This started a new argument that Celestia and Tick wanted no part in. By the time they reached the mouth of the forest, they went their separate ways, Wind Chime galloping away, with tears in her eyes while Tick headed away with Tock who had his head bowed in frustration. Celestia flew off towards Canterlot where the faint sounds of horns met her ears. This was either going to be her best timing yet or she would have to answer for it later.